1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a female connector structure, a male connector structure, a battery, an adaptor and an electric device suitably applied to e.g. a video camera. More specifically, the invention relates to a technology of easily attaching a battery and an adaptor to a video camera or the like. In addition, the invention relates to a technology of reducing a load applied to the connector pin of a male connector section, the load resulting from an external force in a direction of pulling off an attached battery or adaptor from a video camera or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Video cameras have been designed so as to be removably attached with a battery or adaptor and to receive electricity supplied thereto from the battery or adaptor. In this case, the video camera and the battery or adaptor are electrically connected to each other by fitting a male connector section provided on one of them to a female connector section provided on the other. Specifically, a plurality of columnar connector pins arranged on the male connector section are individually inserted into respective pin insertion holes of the female connector section to thereby establish conduction between the male connector section and the female connector section.
The battery or the like is repeatedly attached to a video camera. At the time of attachment, the connector pins of the male connector section have to be inserted into the corresponding pin insertion holes of the female connector section. It is necessary to secure the battery or the like attached to the video camera in such a manner that the connector pins inserted into the pin insertion holes will not break or bend.
To meet the necessity, an adaptor and a battery are disclosed which are designed to execute smooth joint between the male connector section and the female connector section (insertion of the connector pins into pin insertion holes). Specifically, there are provided a projecting side member fitted to a recessed side member provided on the rear surface of a video camera body; and a female side member fitted to a male side member composed of a plurality of vertical connector pins and provided on the rear surface of the video camera body. The female side member has a downward-facing lower surface formed with a plurality of vertical pin-insertion holes adapted to receive the connector pins inserted thereinto. At the time of attachment to the video camera, the downward movement due to its own weight resulting from the fit between the recessed side member and the projecting side member allows the pin insertion holes to be inserted to the connector pins. (See e.g. Japanese Patent No. 3,778,202.)
An attachment side attachment mechanism portion is disclosed in which when a battery or the like is removably attached directly to the attachment surface of a video camera, the attachment and detachment can be done easily and the reliability of the attachment can be enhanced. Specifically, the attachment side attachment mechanism portion adapted to mechanically and electrically join a battery side attachment mechanism portion to the attachment surface in a removably manner includes a connector, a fitting portion with locking mechanism and a pair of guide means. The connector is electrically and removably connected to a downward-facing electric terminal provided on a battery by moving the front surface of the battery provided with the battery side attachment mechanism portion, from the upside to the downside along the attachment surface. The fitting portion with locking mechanism includes an attachment surface side tapered guide and a locking means. The attachment surface side tapered guide is adapted to guide a fitting portion as a battery side attachment mechanism portion so as to center the battery side electric terminal with respect to the connector when the front surface of the battery is moved from the upside to the downside along the attachment surface. The locking means is adapted to engage with the fitting portion as the battery side attachment mechanism portion to lock the battery to the attachment surface. The pair of guide means are disposed on the attachment surface and on both the right and left sides of the connector, and when the battery is attached or removed, guide a to-be-guided means provided on the battery side to prevent the entrapment of the battery along with the to-be-guided means. (See Japanese Patent No. 3,528,844.)
Further, FIG. 1 in Japanese Patent Nos. 3,399,055, 3,508,188, and 3,632,688, illustrates a male connector section (a male side member 142 of a connector 14) and FIG. 2 and FIG. 3B illustrate the relationship between the connector 14 and a battery pack 11. Specifically, a pair of right and left vertical guide projections 148 are formed parallel to the rear surface 2d of a video camera body on both the right and left lateral edges of the male side member 142 of the connector 14. On the other hand, a pair of right and left vertical guide grooves 149 are respectively formed on both right and left sides of a female connector section (a female side member 144 of the connector 14). In addition, the guide projections 148 are fitted to the respective guide grooves 149. Also FIGS. 6, 7 and 8B in Japanese Patent Nos. 3,404,951 and 3,693,110 disclose the same connector 14. Incidentally, also FIGS. 1, 2 and 3B in Japanese Patent Nos. 3,778,202 and 3,528,844 mentioned above disclose the same connector 14.